When Mercy Thompson, mechanic and shape-shifter, attempts to return a powerful fae book she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secrets -- and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side -- leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more...

Usually when a series hits around books 4-5, it’s hard to really talk about anything new without giving away spoilers so if you haven’t read the first four books of the Mercy Thompson series, stop reading now. Silver Borne has, so far, been my least favorite book of this series. I liked Moon Called and Blood Bound but when the Fae began playing a major role in the story, I started losing interest. They just don’t seem to quite fit in with the world Briggs created. “How can you say that? She created the world.” Yes, she created the world but when the series started out, the Fae were off in the distance, so to speak, and the werewolves and, later, vampires played the major roles of supernatural creatures. For the most part, just those two groups worked, but then the Fae came in, not only making everything a million times more complicated but also adding almost too much of a fantastical edge to the story. Their portrayal just didn’t fit right, and the Fae are the reason I disliked this book the most.

Mercy’s character is probably one of my favorites in the urban fantasy genre. She’s stubborn, does what she wants, doesn’t take shit from anyone, and can turn into a coyote–that’s pretty awesome, if you ask me. My love for her character wasn’t diminished by this novel, only strengthened as she and Adam faced even more problems than before. I like Adam too. Once the sexual tension stopped between Mercy, Adam, and Samuel, the stories became increasingly better (at least where character development was involved).Silver Borne also draws out some of the wolves mentioned in previous books but not really focused on. With Mercy as part of the pack now, her command is second only to Adam’s which doesn’t sit well with some of the wolves. Not to mention her coyote nature wasn’t a crowd pleaser either. The only werewolf I had issues with was Samuel, or more specifically how his “issues” were resolved at the end. His suicidal thoughts are brought up in earlier installments but don’t cause any issues until this book. I wasn’t a fan how Briggs fixed that little problem as, while I understand everyone needs a happy ending and whatnot, it seemed like she took the easy route instead of expanding on it a little more.

The majority of my disappointment in this novel comes from the involvement of the Fae. At the beginning of the series, I didn’t mind them, but after Iron Kissed, I grew tired of them. Briggs’s Fae don’t sit right with me in these books. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of this author and her books are captivating (I finished Silver Borne as quickly as any of the others), but the Fae always seem too different to fit. Even for paranormal creatures. This novel covers the mystery of a Fae book Mercy borrowed from part-Fae Phin. When other Fae come after it and simultaneously threaten a friend, she puts it in hiding and tries to figure out a plan. During all this, Mercy is also having issues with the pack not accepting her as one of them and dealing with Samuel’s wolf taking over for a while. The number of plots and subplots running together made the focus of the book hard to follow. I wouldn’t call Silver Borne confusing, but annoying at times. Then the wrap up at the end, while working to an extent, involved more kinds of magic than I would’ve liked. It appeared as if Briggs decided to make things easy and just throw in endings for certain series subplots that were hinted at throughout this book, but didn’t really flow with the rest of the series, in my opinion.

If you haven’t read the Mercy Thompson series (and you read this review), I encourage you to check it out. It’s a great mix of action, mystery, humor, and romance all with a paranormal edge. Fans of Karen Chance’s Cassandra Palmer series, Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, and Rachel Vincent’s Shifters series will find Mercy to be another great kick-ass heroine. Briggs has an enthralling writing style that makes even a book you may not like a quick read. Don’t let Silver Borne bring you down on the series. With three more books out, there’s plenty of time for the story to bring itself back up from all the Fae drama. I highly recommend checking this series out. You won’t be disappointed.